


tell me that you'll wait for me

by t_hens



Series: projects for people [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 12:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18476641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_hens/pseuds/t_hens
Summary: Dan's flight gets delayed because of a storm, but at least he's got his phone, and the company of the attractive stranger sharing the same outlet on the wall





	tell me that you'll wait for me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [braceforthat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/braceforthat/gifts).



> thank you to the lovely Cam for this prompt. I hope you like it <3
> 
> title is from [Leaving on a Jet Plane](https://open.spotify.com/track/3D8dwH690MXQRhtIZTSS9c) by John Denver
> 
> beta by [fourthingsandawizard](http://fourthingsandawizard.tumblr.com)
> 
> to see information about getting a fic written for you, you can see [this post](http://tobieallison.tumblr.com/post/183710958541/commissions-are-open)

Dan’s phone was dead, which was just the icing on the cake of an absolute shit day. His head hurt, he was sunburned, and he just desperately wanted to go home and sleep in his own bed.

That wouldn’t be possible for hours, or closer to a day, though. His flight home from LA was delayed due to inclement weather. Wasn’t LA supposed to be all sun and fun and whatnot? It was stupid, and he was grumpy, and just desperately wanted to get home.

An outlet opened up on the wall opposite his chair, and Dan sprinted to it as fast as his sore body would carry him. The woman he beat looked pissed, but he didn’t care. Normally he was a pretty nice guy, but not when he’d been out in the sun for a week straight and had no internet.

He plugged his charger in, and when the Apple logo lit up his screen, he gave a deep sigh of relief. His therapist would probably lecture him on his addiction to technology, but his therapist was clear across the world, so he cradled his phone in his too large hands and sent out a ‘thank you’ to the universe that at least _one_ thing went right today.

-

It didn’t take long for him to get bored. He’d sorely overestimated the entertainment value his phone held. There were only so many times he could refresh Twitter or Instagram. He’d even ventured into tumblr for a bit, but everyone was talking about the newest Marvel movie that he hadn’t had time to see yet, and he refused to be spoiled when he’d been looking forward to seeing it for months.

The person using the outlet next to him, who Dan had been dutifully ignoring, unplugged and moved away. He considered using the other outlet for his laptop charger, but he decided against it; there was no use being a complete dick. 

The spot was filled quickly, though, by a tall man with black hair pushed off his forehead into a drooping quiff. He looked tired and grumpy, too, so Dan angled his body away. The man gave a loud huff as he sat down on the floor next to him. They were almost touching - the floor was crowded with people trying to get their technology fix, and it made his skin prickle a bit. He wasn’t big on being touched, especially by strangers. 

The man adjusted himself to get more comfortable and accidentally bumped into Dan. “Oops! I’m sorry.”

Dan was temporarily thrown by the deep Northern accent that he spoke in. Being in LA, he expected someone American, though seeing as how it was a flight back to London, maybe he shouldn’t have been.

“‘S fine,” he mumbled back, turning to face him.

It was the first time that Dan had gotten a good look at the stranger, and he suddenly wished that he had put more effort into his appearance when he’d dragged himself out of his hotel this morning.

His outlet-mate was cute, the kind of cute that made it hard to focus on anything else. His eyes were a bright blue that reminded Dan of the beaches he’d been visiting that week. They were framed by thick black Ray Ban style glasses and there was a smattering of freckles across his cheekbones, and Dan had an irrational thought about touching them to see if they were as soft as they looked.

“Flight delayed?” he asked, snapping Dan out of his reverie.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I imagine everyone’s is.”

“Duh.” He smacked himself in the head, probably harder than he intended, given how he knocked his glasses off and into Dan’s lap.

Dan picked them up and handed them back gingerly, watching as the man’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink color.

“God, I’m sorry. I’m a wreck today.”

Dan shrugged, giving him a small smile. “I think most people are when they travel.”

“I wish there was some traveling actually going on. I miss my bed.”

It was an opening. Dan could continue the conversation with this cute stranger, but he hesitated. He had a very firm policy on not making small talk with people he didn’t know, but there was something about this stranger. Maybe it was the blue of his eyes, or the way his smile stretched too wide across his face, but Dan took the bait.

“Were you on holiday?”

He looked almost relieved that Dan’s replied, and his face brightened despite still looking tired.

“Yes! My family decided to come to LA instead of Florida like we usually do. I was kinda disappointed because I was looking forward to going back to Harry Potter World, but I guess Disneyland is okay.”

“You like Harry Potter?” It probably wasn’t the point that he was trying to make, but Dan latched onto the first thing he was familiar with.

“Yes! I’ve seen the movies, but I never read the books.” He shrugged like he hadn’t just devastated Dan.

“So you’re one of _those_ people.” 

It was a joke, but it was a risky one. Dan’s tone never properly conveyed that he was joking, but he breathed a sigh of relief when the man grinned again.

“At least I know what house I’m in! You can still be a fan without reading the books.”

Dan pursed his lips and he could tell his dimples were out, given the way that the stranger’s eyes fell downward, and a subconscious smile pulled at Dan’s lips.

“I guess.”

“You’re a purist, eh?” He bumped their shoulders together, and under normal circumstances Dan would probably flinch, but this time he only felt the warmth of the stranger's arm and it just made him feel a small spark rather than anxiety.

“I am. I’m that terrible friend that insists on reading the book before I see the movie. I also refuse to watch any trailers before I see any movies. I’m currently avoiding all social media so I don’t get spoiled for the new Marvel movie.”

“Oh my god, I’m so excited to see it!”

Dan could feel his cheeks hurt from smiling; the muscles in his face were getting more use than they had in ages. “I was supposed to see it when I got home, but...” He gestured around to the terminal they were sitting in.

“That sucks!”

His phone chimed and his attention moved towards it, so Dan just nodded a bit even though he wasn’t looking anymore and tried to find something on his own phone that could hold his attention as well as the man to his right had been.

-

In reality, it was only about 45 seconds from Dan looking down at his phone to the stranger nudging his shoulder gently to get his attention, but it felt like ages.

“Sorry about that. My mum is a worrier.”

Dan locked his phone, grateful that he could stop opening and closing the same app over and over. “Mine, too. I think it’s like a universal mum thing. Is she here?” 

He shook his head. “Oh, no, they’re staying for a few more days. I have to get back to uni, so I’m leaving a little early.”

“Me, too. Our families are just abandoning us while we slave away at uni. How tragic.”

The boy giggled a bit in response. God, this guy was cute. Dan was staring a bit, but so was he, so it wasn’t the end of the world.

“Oh! I’m Phil, by the way. How rude of me not to introduce myself!”

He held out his hand and Dan clasped it, surprised at how nicely it fit in his own, slightly larger one. 

“Your hands are soft.”

Fuck. Why was he such a mess? He shook his head and tried to correct himself, but Phil just laughed, his head thrown back, exposing the long line of his throat. Dan was still staring when Phil looked back at him; it was then he realized that their hands were still clasped. Dan pulled his away, _very_ aware of the pink of his cheeks.

“I moisturize every day!” Phil said proudly, helping to break the beat of awkward silence.

“Do you really?”

“Mmhmm. It was one of those weird things that my mum always insisted on - moisturizing and, like, putting on lotion every day, so I never really grew out of the habit.”

“I suppose there are worse habits,” Dan chuckled. “Oh, and I’m Dan, by the way.”

Phil stared at him for a second, like he was soaking up his appearance or something. “Dan. That’s a nice name.”

Dan’s face was fully red and felt hot and splotchy, but he was saved the embarrassment of trying to come up with a reply by someone coming up and asking if the outlet was free yet.

“Oh! Yes, I’m sorry!” Phil got up quickly, removing his charger, and Dan got up, too, not quite ready to part ways with his newfound companion.

Phil looked ecstatic to see that Dan had given up his spot to and hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “Do you wanna go get a coffee or something?”

He usually avoided caffeine when he traveled, not wanting to give another stimulant to his anxiety, but one glance over at the arrival and departure board told him he wasn’t about to leave any time soon.

“Okay,” he agreed and followed Phil.

-

The line to the coffee shop was long, but for once Dan didn’t mind. He had someone cute to talk to that he actually had a lot in common with. He had definitely had worse days, even with his flight being delayed.

When it was their turn to order, Phil pulled out his wallet to pay for their drinks even though Dan tried to refuse.

“It’s my treat for keeping me company.”

Dan mumbled his thanks, willing the blush that had been nearly non-stop since he first started talking to Phil to go away.

“Where should we drink these?’ Phil asked, handing Dan his drink.

He glanced around the shop and saw that every spot available was taken, so he looked out to the terminal, eyes finding a couple of seats near the windows facing the runaway. 

“There?” He pointed to the spot that he had found and Phil beamed, letting Dan lead the way.

It was still storming outside, ominous black clouds covering the sky and golf ball sized drops of rain covering everything in their path. It was pretty, despite the fact that it was keeping Dan stuck in a foreign country. Though he glanced over to Phil once they sat, and thought that maybe that wasn’t such a terrible thing.

“I love storms,” Phil said, like he could read Dan’s mind. “There’s almost always a summer storm while we’re in Florida. Is it weird that I’m kinda happy that one happened here, too?”

Dan shrugged. “I mean, it could have happened on a better day rather than the day we’re trying to leave the country, but I think I get it.” 

They didn’t say anything else for a while, just sipping their coffees and staring out the window. 

There was an ease between them that Dan had never felt. Most of Dan’s life had been filled by awkward silences that he didn’t know how to fill, but this felt different. He didn’t feel the need to keep talking to fill the quiet space between them. It felt like he could exist for a second. 

-

“So what were you doing in LA?” Phil asked after a while, taking the final drink of his coffee.

“Family holiday, too. We usually go somewhere a bit more, I don’t know, different? Like one year we went to India and it was incredible.”

“That’s so cool! I want to travel other places in the world, I’m just kinda scared to do it by myself.”

Dan hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan, but I would probably get thrown in jail for telling a bad joke or something.”

Phil’s eyes were as wide as saucers and he punched Dan in the arm, probably harder than he meant to. “I’ve always wanted to go to Japan!”

“Really?”

Phil was practically vibrating with excitement. He grabbed Dan’s arm and shook it, as if to emphasize how excited he was. “Yes! Oh my god, Dan, it’s my dream vacation!”

The next hour was filled with them discussing their favorite animes, which turned into their favorite movies and tv shows. How Dan had managed to find someone with almost the exact same interests as him clear across the world amazed him.

“Yeah, I’ve seen Buffy like a million times. I own the boxset and I rewatch it every few months.”

“I’ve never seen it.”

Phil looked like this was the ultimate betrayal. He clutched at his heart, scrunching up his face as if he was in pain. “Dan, how could you? I thought you were perfect.”

All of the blood in his body rushed to his face; even the tips of his ears felt hot. He stuttered something about how he certainly was not perfect, but Phil was already talking again.

“You have to watch it! I can lend it to you!”

Dan shook his head in disbelief. “You can’t just lend your boxset of your favorite show to a stranger, Phil.”

Phil considered this before an almost devious smile formed. “Okay, we can just watch it together, that way you can’t steal it.”

There were _so_ many holes in that plan, but Phil’s enthusiasm was catching.

“What if I’m secretly, like, a murder or, like, a cannibal?”

Phil waved his hand dismissively. “That’s a problem for future Phil.”

That made Dan laugh out loud, and normally he would feel self conscious at being a little loud in a public place, but there was something about Phil that made him care a little less. Who cared about everyone else when Phil was smiling all big and proud at him?

“You’re crazy.” He didn’t even bother trying to keep the fondness out of his voice. 

“But that’s not a no,” Phil said, nudging him.

“Yeah, okay, but you don’t gotta be all smug about it.” Dan knocked their shoulders together and Phil leaned into the pressure. 

There was a second where Dan almost leaned in. Phil’s eyes were trained on him, and he thought that maybe Phil was going to lean forward, but then an announcement rang out over the speakers, snapping them out of the moment. 

“Flight BA1019 is now boarding. Please proceed to the departure gate.”

“Oh, I think that’s me,” Dan said, pulling his ticket out of his backpack.

“It’s me, too,” Phil said brightly, and Dan felt that tingling, excited feeling in his tummy. The same feeling he’d had since he started talking to Phil hours ago.

Their seats weren’t anywhere close to each other, but knowing that Phil was there somewhere on the plane made the ten hour flight a little bit more bearable. 

-

He wasn’t entirely surprised to see Phil standing by the exit waiting for him, but he couldn’t deny how happy it made him. 

“Good flight?” Phil asked, slinging his backpack across his shoulders.

“Long,” Dan corrected, but he still smiled because he was finding it nearly impossible not to when he was near Phil. “I’m ready to sleep and not leave my bed for a year.”

“Yeah, me, too. I can never sleep on flights.”

They were stood in front of the exit, Dan needing to go left and Phil’s body facing right. It didn’t seem quite right to leave, but there wasn’t anything popping into his brain that would give him a good excuse for staying, so he gave an awkward wave and said he had to go.

“Okay,” Phil said. 

They both twitched, as if they were both going in for hug, but neither did, so Dan took that as a sign and turned to leave.

He’d only made it about ten feet when he heard heavy footsteps behind him and felt a hand on his arm. Turning quickly, he saw Phil, cheeks that sweet pink color.

“Can I have your number? For, like, Buffy and stuff?”

Dan was very curious what the ‘stuff’ Phil was talking about was, but he just pulled out his phone and let Phil enter his number and then watched as Phil pulled out his own, saving the number from the text he’d sent himself.

“I’ll text you,” he said, handing Dan his phone back.

“Okay.”

Phil moved forward and pressed a quick kiss to Dan’s cheek; the same place where his dimple was currently making a crater on his face. He didn’t have any time to say anything by the time that Phil was waving and moving toward his destination. 

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, palm pressed to the spot that Phil had kissed, but when his body finally moved again, it was with a skip in his step and grin on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> like/reblog on [tumblr](http://tobieallison.tumblr.com/post/184204596971/tell-me-that-youll-wait-for-me) and view on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ta_hens/status/1117816410598600705) if you like :)


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